


The Pining Club 2.0

by made_of_tea



Series: The Pining Club [2]
Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, The Pining Club, Trans Boy Richie Tozier, Trans Girl Ben Hanscom - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-17 23:16:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21751321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/made_of_tea/pseuds/made_of_tea
Summary: Richie and Ben are both trans and become friends because of it. They hang out more and pine over Eddie and Bev, creating their own little club.The Pining Club.
Relationships: Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Bill Denbrough/Mike Hanlon, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Patricia Blum Uris/Stanley Uris
Series: The Pining Club [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1567696
Comments: 8
Kudos: 94





	The Pining Club 2.0

“Guys…” Richie takes a deep breath, “I’m trans.” 

“What?” Bill asks, genuinely confused.

“I was a guy born in a girls body.” Richie likes describing it that way.

“Okay.” Bill says, grinning. 

The rest of the losers express similar sentiments, letting Richie know they love him no matter what. Eddie gives him a big hug too.

Later, when they’re all leaving, Ben bikes home with Richie. Richie just goes along with it, figuring Ben wants to ask him some questions or something. 

They reach Richie’s house and his parents aren’t home. “You wanna… come in?” 

Ben nods silently. Richie opens the door for him and gets out juice boxes from the fridge. “What’s up, Haystack?” 

“I want to transition to female.” Ben blurts out. 

“Alright.” Richie responds nonchalantly. “You gonna grow your hair out?” 

Ben nods. “Do you think Bev has any makeup that she’d let me borrow?” 

“Hell yeah. You want us to change your pronouns?” Richie asks, sipping his juice box.

Ben smiles, “Yeah, I'd like that.” 

“She/her?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Sounds good, girl.” Richie says. 

Ben grins. 

They hang out a lot more after that. Richie is helping Ben transition and they both support each other through whatever dysphoria comes their way. 

Then Ben finds out about Richie’s crush. 

“B, I’m pretty sure my crush is straight, which really sucks for me.” Richie complains. 

“Who’s your crush?” Ben asks.

Richie looks at her, deciding whether or not he can trust her. “Eddie.” 

She just smiles at him, thinking about Eddie’s short red shorts and Elton John obsession. “Yeeeaaah. Straight. Right.” 

Richie pouts. “You have a crush on anyone, B? Any cute boys?” 

“I’m a lesbian, Richie.” It feels really good to say that out loud. “I like Bev. Pretty sure she’s straight too.”

Richie avoids looking at her, thinking about Bev’s short hair and obsession with Bikini Kill and that one time she just kinda spaced out when Richie showed her Patti Smith on the cover of her Horses album. “Uh huh. Straight.” 

From then on, complaining about crushing on straight people becomes a regular thing with them. 

Even though their crushes are the least straight people ever.

A few days later, all the losers are hanging out at Bill’s and Ben makes an announcement. 

“I want you guys to call me Bena,” she says.

“You got it, Bena.” Richie says immediately. He makes a point of remembering her pronouns and accepting every decision she makes in regards to her transition. 

Bill or Mike will slip up every once in a while, but they never do it on purpose and always apologize a million times afterwards.

Bena’s hair has gotten a lot longer. Her hair had already been pretty long when she had decided to transition, but now it was about to her shoulders. She wore shorter shorts and floral tops and she was happier than she had ever been in boy’s clothes. 

Meanwhile, Richie’s mom had finally gotten together enough money and he was scheduled for surgery right after school got out for summer. 

One day when Bena goes to Richie’s, she finds a banner inside the kitchen that says in bright letters, The Pining Club. 

“What the hell is that, Richie?” she asks.

“That, my fine lady, is our club banner. We pretty much just pine over Eds and Bev when we hang out, right? So why not make a club out of it? I was thinking we could invite Mike, ‘cause he has a huge crush on Bill.” Richie explains.

Bena grins. “That sounds awesome, Richie.” 

They call Mike, who comes over quickly. He also likes to complain about crushing on a straight person. 

What they don't know about is the other mini-club in the losers. Bev and Eddie had started their own club, where they listened to music and talked about Richie and Bena. 

Eddie thinks Richie is getting more handsome every day. He likes how Richie gets more comfortable with himself every day. Hell, Eddie likes everything about Richie.

Beverly, on the other hand, thinks Bena looks more beautiful the longer her hair gets. She thinks if Bena decides to wear a dress one day, she might have a heart attack. And one of the days where Bena comes over to have Bev do her makeup, she might kiss Bena’s freshly glossed lips. 

Then, they add Bill to the club when they find out about his crush on Mike. 

They hang out at Bill’s house, Bev will lay upside down on the bed and Eddie will play his Elton John tapes in Bill’s cassette player. 

Meanwhile, Richie will serenade Mike and Bena with his lovely renditions of The Cure. Bena tried to be supportive, but a person can only listen to Richie screeching “Lovesong” so many times. 

Eventually, they have more to talk about, because Bill finally grows a pair and asks Mike out.

Bill had been with Bev and Eddie in his room, listening to ‘Your Song’ by Elton John. It had inspired him to hop on his bike and go to Mike’s farm, where he found Mike feeding the sheep. 

“Mike, will you go out on a date with me?” He hadn’t stuttered once, despite being nervous as all hell. 

Mike had grinned brighter than he ever had and kissed Bill on the lips before saying yes. 

Now Richie and Bena got to listen to Mike talk about Bill’s kissing skills. 

Then Bev officially comes out. 

They’re at Stan’s for movie night, watching Beetlejuice, and Winona Ryder comes on screen. Bev announces, “I’m gay.” 

Stan gives her a reassuring smile and they continue watching the movie. 

Richie notices how Bena pretty much gasps and keeps glancing at Bev throughout the rest of the movie.

Later, Bena goes into the kitchen to get another soda, and Bev follows her. She’s wearing a Bikini Kill shirt and countless bracelets. 

“Bena… I think you’re beautiful.” Bev says. 

Bena spits out the sip of soda she just took into the sink. Bev rushes to make sure she’s okay.

“Really?” Bena asks. 

Bev grins. “Really,” she steps closer to her, “And I was wondering if maybe you’d like to go on a date with me sometime?”

Bena is sure her entire face is bright red. “Yeah, I’d like that a lot.” 

Bev leans in and kisses her passionately. Bena leans into the kiss, placing her hands on Bev’s hips. Bev slips her tongue into Bena’s mouth, deepening the kiss. 

They break apart when they hear Richie yell, “STAN, BEV AND BENA ARE MAKING OUT IN YOUR KITCHEN!” 

“SHUT THE FUCK UP, RICHIE.” Stan yells back. 

Bev starts laughing as Bena buries her flushed face into her shoulder. They cuddle close together for the rest of the night. 

The day of Bena and Bev’s date, Bena calls the Pining Club over to her house. They help her get ready. She doesn't take any of Richie’s fashion advice. 

She does, however, let Richie do her makeup. He has a strange talent for it, considering he renounces anything feminine. He’s also practiced on her a lot, and gotten good at choosing the right shades for her face. 

Bena ends up looking gorgeous. She’s wearing a floral dress that Mike helped her pick out, and her makeup is perfect with soft pink lips and winged eyeliner. 

Richie and Mike are still there when Bev rings the doorbell. Bena opens the door to see Bev, wearing a floral button-down and black jeans, holding a single red rose. She grins ear to ear when she sees what Bena is wearing. Then she offers her the rose, takes her free hand, and they head off to Derry’s 24 hour diner to split a strawberry milkshake and curly fries. 

Richie and Mike feel like proud parents, watching their daughter going on her first date.

Richie bikes home to find Eddie swinging on the porch swing. His parents aren't home, so Eddie must have knocked on the door and gotten no response then chosen to wait for someone to come home.

Richie tosses his bike carelessly on the lawn and seats himself next to Eddie.

“What's up, Eddie Spaghetti?” he asks. 

“Can I stay at your place for awhile? I got in a fight with my mom.” 

“Of course. Wanna talk about it?” 

Eddie avoids eye contact. “She… found out I was gay.” 

Richie doesn't know what to say. He feels a lot of emotions at once. Anger at Sonia for being mad at her son for liking boys, excitement because Eddie likes boys, and nerves because Eddie will probably be sleeping in his room for the next few nights. 

“Are you seriously fucking speechless right now? Richie Tozier, who never shuts the fuck up, is speechless because I'm gay?” Eddie teases. 

Richie laughs. “Yeah, I guess you have rendered the great Richie Tozier speechless.” He smiles, seeing that Eddie is finally smiling too. “Wanna come inside?” 

Eddie nods and Richie unlocks the door. They sit on the couch and Richie puts on an Elton John record because he knows it's Eddie’s favorite. 

“Eddie… Eds. Can I tell you something super-secret?” Richie asks playfully.

“If you stop fucking calling me Eds, yeah.” 

Richie grins. “I like you. I like you so much. Not in a friendly way. I like-like you. A lot. Like, I have a crush on you. Cause-” 

Eddie cuts off Richie’s ramble with a soft kiss. “I like you too.” 

Richie is beaming. This is the best moment of his life, by far. Plus, Eddie will be sleeping in his room with him for at least one night. 

Eddie ends up staying for three nights, Maggie being very welcoming. Eddie and Richie cuddle up together in Richie’s bed each night, just enjoying each other’s presence. 

When the Pining Club meets again, Bena can't stop talking about how amazing Bev is, and Richie won't shut up about Eddie’s soft lips. 

They're just losers in love and they're happy that way. 

Stan is happy for them all, because he’s had to watch them all pining obliviously forever. 

They go on a big group date when Stan gets a girlfriend. A girl named Patty that they all like a lot. They go to the 24 hour diner and split milkshakes.

Bena and Bev get strawberry, Richie and Eddie get coffee, Mike and Bill get chocolate, and Stan and Patty get vanilla. 

It's pretty much perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> Based off more headcanons by yearningtozier on Tumblr!
> 
> My tumblr is fluently-sarcastic!
> 
> This is my first time writing trans characters, so I hope I did alright!


End file.
